Forest Cross-CountryService Skiing & Pacific Southwest Region Snowshoeing Trails g Eldorado National Forest Amador Ranger District ï

The Amador District of the Eldorado National Forest offers diverse cross-country skiing opportunities. Highway 88 provides easy access to plenty of terrain perfect for cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing. From high on the Pacific Crest to the dense forests of the lower elevations, visitors can explore thousands of acres of National Forest lands. Miles of marked ski trails and dozens of unmarked routes, offer outstanding winter recreation possibilities. Winter weather in the Area can be extreme. Expect to encounter up to 10 feet or more of snow on the ground, high winds, very cold temperatures, and poor visibility due to fog and clouds.

Anderson Ridge Trail System (Easy/ Wilderness Boundary Trail Intermediate): (More Difficult): Approximately eight miles of trail are located in this Access this trail from Carson Pass Sno-Park. The trail travels system. The Anderson Ridge Trail system offers south to the boundary, then runs west skiers a tour up and around Anderson Ridge over along the boundary before dropping downhill to intersect the rolling terrain. Blue diamonds and wooden signs Woods Lake Road. The trail also runs south from Woods Lake mark the trail. Access this trail system from the Iron Road and travels up the drainage between Woods Lake and Mountain Sno-Park. Snowmobilers and skiers share Winnemucca Lake. It stops at the Wilderness boundary. This trail the area around the Sno-Park. is marked by blue diamond markers attached to trees. Leek Springs Trail (Intermediate): Meiss Meadow area: Beginning at the Iron Mountain Snow Park, the first Access the Meiss Meadow area from Meiss Sno-Park. This route is part of the trail is shared with snowmobilers and is unmarked. The route generally follows the Pacific Crest Trail often groomed. The eight mile roundtrip trail follows north from the Sno-Park and travels over a pass which allows a Plummer ridge over gently rolling terrain to the Leek view of on a clear day. Springs Lookout. Orange and blue diamonds mark Mokelumne Wilderness area: the trail. On a clear day the view from the top is spectacular. Part of the Carson Pass Area is within the Mokelumne Wilderness which allows only non-motorized activities such as snow-shoeing Woods Lake Trail (Easiest): and cross-country skiing. In order to give visitors a wilderness Access this trail from Meiss Sno-Park. The trail is an experience there is minimal directional signing and there are no enjoyable two-mile, downhill ski to Woods Lake blue diamond marked ski trails. You are responsible for your own following the Woods Lake Road. The trail is marked, route-finding. You must be able to navigate with map and beginning across the highway from the Sno-Park, compass and possess advanced mountaineering skills. Explore on with blue diamond markers on trees. Woods Lake is your own to the extent your personal skills allow. frozen and covered with snow during the winter. Do Mokelumne Wilderness offers skiing through forested not trust the ice to support your weight. It is not mountainsides, around alpine lakes, and over open timberline recommended to ski or otherwise go out on any landscapes as well as opportunities for very challenging downhill frozen lake! terrain. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Eldorado NaƟonal Forest website: www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado 2014 Be Prepared Planning Your Trip Before leaving home, notify a responsible person of your travel plans; including a map with your route  Checklist clearly marked. Check back with this person when you A travel checklist should be followed to guarantee a safe return. If you are overdue, this person should notify the and well-planned trip, and to reduce the possibility of Alpine County Sheriff at the number below. needing to be rescued. Clothes, sunglasses, sunscreen, food, water, first aid kit, map, compass, headlamp, fire Your experience will be most enjoyable if you are starter material/matches, emergency survival prepared with at least the following skills: equipment, vehicle service supplies (anti-freeze, tire  Route-Finding: You must have experience in chains, ice-scraper, something for traction) should all be part of your equipment. In addition, we recommend you route-finding in all weather conditions. Some carry: avalanche transceivers, probe poles, shovels, and routes are not marked with blue diamonds. climbing skins for skis.  Orienteering: You must be able to read a  Food Supplies topographical map and use a compass. Be sure to Food supplies should include items that are lightweight have the topographic maps for the area you choose but loaded, meaning loaded with calories. Plan your to visit. meals to insure a diet of high-energy foods.  Water  Avalanche Hazard Evaluation: Avalanche Water is often difficult to find in winter. All that is hazard does exist in the area. Visitors should available may be what you can carry in containers or possess avalanche hazard evaluation skills and carry melt from snow. The body loses as much as two to four appropriate rescue gear with them at all times. quarts of fluid per day under exertion. Replacement of Always check with the Central Sierra Avalanche fluid loss is very important for maintaining good physical Bulletin before your trip for the weather forecast condition. Eating snow provides only limited water (10 and avalanche warnings. to 20 percent), drains energy, and cools the body temperature. Avoid melting snow by body contact. Be  Wilderness First Aid Be familiar with the equipped to melt snow (metal pot and fire starting signs, symptoms and treatment of hypothermia material or stove). and frostbite.  Clothing Clothes should be chosen for warmth, weight and wind protection. Daytime and nighttime temperatures may Emergency have a spread of 80 degrees F. in winter snow country. To adjust to the change, dress in layers that are warm, Highway Patrol, Sheriff, Ambulance . . . . . 911 lightweight and can be added or removed according to Alpine County Sheriff (day). . . (530) 694‐2231 temperature. Amador County Sheriff (day). . (209) 223‐6500 Visitor Information Amador Ranger District………..(209) 295‐4251 Avalanche Hazard 26820 Silver Drive, Pioneer CA 95666 There may be danger from avalanche conditions. Be El Dorado Nordic Ski Patrol…...(530) 647‐1825 aware that snow on slopes may slide when temperature, P.O. Box 1113, Pollock Pines, CA 95726 snow, and topographical conditions are right. Narrow Cal Trans (Road Condions)…..(800) 427‐7623 clearings running with the steep axis of slopes are www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo possible avalanche paths and should be avoided. The safest routes are on ridgetops and slightly on the windward side, away from cornices. If travel on the ridges is impossible, the next safest route is out in the Trail Etiquette valley, away from the bottom of slopes. Snowshoers should travel on the outside edge of the trail. For Central Sierra Avalanche Hazard Ratings, Snowshoe tracks and skis do not mix well especially for Call: (530) 587-2158 beginning skiers or on icy days. www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/today.html To Meiss Meadow 9200 16 15 9000 AMADOR DISTRICT CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING 8800 8800 8600 Eldorado National Forest Pa 8600 c ley i al f V

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